Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-07-04
High Time for National Self-PrO
lection.

| Mr.. Hjalmar H. Boyesen, an able and thor
oughly Americanized Scandinavian, in an
article in the July Forum refers to the perils
to American institutions that are coming from
the increasing immigration of the paupers.
criminals, anarchists and other dangerous or
undesirable classes of people from the Old
World. Mr.. Boyesen is a man OF Intelligence
and character, who appreciates our instltu
| tons loves them and wants them to be pre-
served he commands our esteem and conf
dence as a foreign-bo observer who has
| been studying the effects of immigration for
eighteen years, with peculiar advantages for
| lear ming the truth, and he brings to the dis
eussion of the most important questions that
can engage the attention of Americans, sort
of interest that invests his observations with
especial value. Between, for instance, the
race and national bigotry that formerly broke
out in the more violent manifestations of the
Know Nothing" period, and the calm CON
illusions that Mr.. Boyesen has arrived at, IN
regard to the absolute necessity OF preventing
this country from continuing to be the safe
| refuge for the scum and outcasts and violent
disorganizsrs of the Old World, there is an
almost infinite distance.
alt is for this and for other reasons SAYS
the N. Y. Mail and Express. "that we seek to
improve this period of dizziness in all the or
binary political and other important discus
sions, by calling attention to the theme which
Mr.. Boyesen has presented with such start
ling clearness, with such candor and with
such regard for the future of the best ele-
ments OF our foreign born population, as we'll
| as of the Americans by birth
Now is the time for general and thorough
newspaper discussion of the facts of which
Mr.. Boyesen makes such effective use. Ger
%; plx IL ia. inh for n horn
nalists and statesmen to do all in their power
to resist and minimize the existing evils from
an unrestricted immigration and to greatly
restrict immigration in the future. If every
newspaper in the country were to devote its
attention to this subject daily for the next
| sixty days, drawing out facts and educating
and enlghtening public sentiment, it is GER
| tain that the fruit would be seen in such legis
lation, State and National, next winter as
would reduce largely the evils that otherwise
will surely come from unrestricted immigra-
ton.
| Is it not high tims for Americans born to
make this question the foremost theme Of
talk, when such An observer as Mr. Boyesen
is forced to say that considerable experience
and observation, during residence OF eigh
teen years in the United States, have con-
WINGED me that this problem of immigration
has recently assumed much more serious
phsse than the public or the representatives
in Congress are yet aware Z"
As an educated Scandinavian Mr.. Boyesen
is particularly fearful of the new currents of
| immigration that are coming in increasing
| volume, from the lower classes of Slavs and
Magyars, of whom he Significantly says that
Comparatively few as they now are, people
of these races have played prominent role
in the Anarchist demonstrations and labor
troubles of the Western States. If they are
allowed to come unhindered, the question of
their total ex fusion will belong to the politics
of the near future"
Here, then, are immediate perils to be met.
Indeed, they had to be met a year ago last
May in Milwaukee and in Chicago. The
Slavic Anarchists in Milwaukee were effec-
tually dealt with by heroic Governor, who
was reelected in a State whose population Is
| very largely foreign, because he acted so
| firmly and efficiently In Illinois the Gov
ernor tried to so keep the peace as to con
ciliate the Anarchist, and justice has failed
and the Anarchist peris still threaten.
The country needs to be aroused on this
subject, and Americans born may well feel
that it is time for them to heed the statements
| aud take the advice of such an observer as
| Mr.. Boyeseu. when he calls attention to the
too obvious fact, that "every day during nine
months of The year ships arrive from Europe
| depositing upon our shores needy aliens,
many of whom, if their extravsgant expecta
tons are disappointed Gas they are bound to
be), become the en- mics of the State whose
hospitality they have sought unbidden. These
immigrants are no longer, as formerly, alb
sorbed into the native population, and dis
trbuted among manifold industries
awaiting their labor; but large por-
ton of them become disturbing element. an
uuexpended surplus in the labor market,
which, by its very existence, nnsettles all
economic relations and creates discomfort and
disorder. To endeavor to allay these symp-
toms of a vital disturbance by demagogic
half measures, such as labor holidays and
eight hour laws, is, of course, utterly futile.
The good sense of the lsborers has long since
discovered that the root of the evil Is the un-
restricted immigration, and the statesman
who shall succeed in passing through Con-
gress a law which will effectively check the
importation of unskilled foreign labor will
have strong title to the gratitude of his
countrymen."
These are most important truths, that can
not be too SOON burned into the conscious
ness Of every intelligent voter.